Dragon's Ballad
by Nirianne
Summary: [MHW: Iceborne - Velkhana] A wish upon the Mother Star was all it took to flip Velkhana's world upside down. She had exactly one year to learn about the hunters. One year to realize her purpose and question everything as she came to know it. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I dreamt of this and thought to write it up. It could be a one-off thing or a story; I cannot say. Either way, please enjoy this rough draft of Dragon's Ballad.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

**Summary:** A wish upon the Mother Star was all it took to flip Velkhana's world upside down. She had exactly one year to learn about the hunters. One year to realize her purpose and question everything as she came to know it.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

The Mother Star twinkled brightly alongside her dotted brethren, weaved into an ocean of diamonds in the heavens above. The lonesome star shimmered, glittered and shone. Those who gazed upon the Mother Star would often close their eyes and pressed their palms in prayer, whispering their deepest thoughts and desires to her. Thoughts tumbled through their mind, fishing out their innermost desire for the Mother Star to hear and perhaps, grant their wish.

While most humans were the ones who wished upon a star, there was one magnificent beast cloaked in ice that did the same. Velkhana, empress of the ice-ridden hinterlands gazed upon the star. Her golden orbs watched it twinkle in the distance. The empress relaxed, shoulders ironed out, and tail pressed against the snow-covered landscape. A silent, chilly breath escaped her fanged maw, perhaps in annoyance or for the sake of it. Her mind fluttered to the new invaders who arrived on her sacred land sometime go. These things established a large, functioning camp down south with strange contraptions dotting the area. Velkhana observed them from a safe distance.

Her reptilian gazed hopped from human to human, trying to understand what these things walking on two legs; they dressed in layered clothing and each one of them came fitted with shiny metal. Her dreams pieced together like a jigsaw, showing the dragon a bustling landscape filled with humans, writhing across it. One of the humans stood out. Her mind managed to conjure the man with coffee-colored skin, short silver hair, and light scars etched across his face. His expression, stern as stone with arms folded across his chest.

He was dangerous. He was a threat and one day, he'd instruct his minions to end her life.

A soft growl rolled out of her mouth, displeased by the images. The ice dragon rested her head over her crossed paws. She knew tomorrow was a new day to engage in combat with those pesky two-legged things, holding pointy things. She huffed and drifted off to the land of slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Thank you to those who reviewed, followed, and favorited this story. I truly appreciate your kindness. For the purpose of this story, characters from MHW have the following names:

The Commander: Marten Blake

Field Team Leader: Richard Blake

More to be added later as required.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

**Summary:** A wish upon the Mother Star was all it took to flip Velkhana's world upside down. She had exactly one year to learn about the hunters. One year to realize her purpose and question everything as she came to know it.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Upon dawn, hunters raced across the icy terrain chasing an elongated, shark-like beast with razor sharp teeth and thick hide. Beotodus sliced through the snow like butter, evading four would be hunters. It roared, thrashed, and lunged, and fought for its life. The beast whipped its thick tail, connecting with one of the hunters, sending her airborne into a rickety tree. Her armored frame slammed into the brittle tree causing an avalanche of snow to topple onto the beast and her huntsmates. People cursed and groaned. Others hastily dug out of their temporary tombs to continue the hunt.

Velkhana soared above the hunt, eyes absorbing every slash and hack performed by humans. The ice empress flapped her wings, propelling her forward into a ball of light shot from a flash pod. It was too late; her eyes were blinded by the sudden flash of light, disorienting her senses and sending her face first into a wall of jagged ice. The dragon tumbled, rolling down the mountain's scarface into a deep valley. Velkhana landed awkwardly with a vicious thump, crushing her wing. A whimper of pain escaped her mouth, feeling the cartilages in her wings bent in unnatural ways.

She laid on her side, wings throbbing and head rested over a large rock. Velkhana weakly moved one of her arms and noticed a trail of red liquid. She tried to lick her wound but the beast was unable to lift her head. Another whimper escaped while her eyes moved to the clouded sky.

Like clockwork, day soon fell into the night. Creatures of the day buried beneath the snow-covered land and hunters of the night were on patrol. Velkhana remained immobile. The beast tried to move her wings and when she did, a jolt of pain rippled through her body. Digging her arched claws into the ground, she tried to stand up with all her might. Her muscles screamed in agony as she crashed down, causing a small explosion of ice beneath her. She refused to let gravity best her. Trying again, she applied more pressure into her limbs but the outcome remained the same; she was unable to move.

The ice dragon tilted her head skyward at the sea of twinkling stars. Her golden eyes singled out the Mother Star, shimmering above her head. Her tail whipped in annoyance. Velkhana huffed and tried again and was met with the same result. Ultimately, her body gave way and refused to do as commanded. The dragon closed her eyes as a cool breeze rolled across her body. Her heart rolled back to its normal beats. The idea of death loomed. She knew, it was only a matter of time before hunger-driven, ravenous beasts stumbled onto her frail form. The dragon mildly growled.

Up in the sky, the Mother Star glittered above the fallen dragon. It emitted a soft glow, cloaking Velkhana's icy body with pure light. Ice shards glittered, illuminating the sleeping dragon. Clouds rolled in, cloaking the Hoarfrost Reach in perpetual darkness. The only creature that glowed was Velkhana. If anyone had been there, they'd think they'd witness the birth of a goddess into the human realm. The Mother Star pulsed and quickly faded, devoured by the expanding darkness from above.

It had begun.

* * *

"Hey! I found something here!" The voice of a man traveled across the air.

Footsteps zeroed in on the sound. Clusters of humans arrived at the man's side as he pointed at the ground, at a body. Jaws dropped. Others murmured. Some looked at each other to make sense of it all.

One of the hunters snapped out of his stupor. "Well, don't just stand there! Hurry and find something warm to cover her up!"

Sleeping on the ground slept a fair-skinned maiden in the nude with long blonde hair and blue accents painted at their tips. Hunters swiftly shielded her exposed body with thick blankets, protecting her from an icy breeze drifting from the south. The hunters talked among themselves, deciding on what to do with the woman. They questioned her origin and whereabouts; no one could supply a decent answer.

"Let's take her to Seliana," A short, stocky hunter suggested. "When she's awake, we can ask where she's from. Poor thing, I wonder how long she's been out here all alone."

"It's a miracle she didn't freeze to death." Another man piped up. "Brrrr!"

The hunters nodded among themselves as one of the bigger bodied hunters gently lifted up the woman into his arms. Summoning the reptilian wingdrake, the hunters departed to Seliana.

* * *

Marten leant by the Council Table, discussing the Commission's next objectives with his grandson, Richard. The two men pointed to different locations on the hand drawn map, figuring out where to dispatch hunters to complete research objectives. A cool waft rolled into the room, forcing the flames in the fireplace to dance on cue.

"Do we have enough warm clothes for the hunters?" Marten looked at his grandson.

"We should." Richard responded. "We've received several new shipments this morning plus extra rations. Grammeowster Chef is excited to experiment on a new soup made from Banbaro meat. She said Banbaro meat is tough but melts like cotton when heated."

Marten laughed. He could see her doing that. "The hunters would appreciate the change."

"Commander!"

The older man looked up, locking eyes with a trio of hunters. One of them carried a bundle wrapped in a thick wooly blanket.

He approached them. "Did you find something?"

The hunter nodded. "We found a civilian passed out in the Reach," he responded. "We don't know how long she's been there but our team decided it was best to rescue her and bring her here to recuperate."

Marten's aged eyes scanned the bundle. One of the hunters gently pulled back the blanket to reveal the woman's face. The Commander was speechless.

"Grandfather?"

"Take the woman to the infirmary," Marten spoke with authority. His voice mildly rattled. "Report back when she awakens, understood?"

"Yes, sir."

The hunting trio left for the infirmary. Marten returned and sat on the edge of the Council Table. Richard gingerly approached his grandfather's side and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, are you alright? You're as pale as a ghost."

"I'm fine." he answered pointedly. "Nothing to worry about."

"Grandfather…" Richard trailed off. "I know that look. You have something on your mind."

"It's nothing, really." Marten insisted, watching the flames dance.

"Understood."

Richard knew it was in his best interest to not push the envelope any further. He watched his grandfather excuse himself and headed out to clear his head. Something shook him to the core, he noted. His grandfather wasn't someone who easily got spooked. He wondered, what did he see to make him act this way?

"Grandfather…"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **I hope everyone's doing well! I come offering a new update to everyone. It's just something I dreamt up; a continuation of the last chapter. Well, I hope you like it. Any comments are greatly appreciated and valued.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

**Summary:** A wish upon the Mother Star was all it took to flip Velkhana's world upside down. She had exactly one year to learn about the hunters. One year to realize her purpose and question everything as she came to know it.

Here are additional characters:

Marten's Wife: Eliza

Head Nurse: Lucia

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Marten rested on a wooden bench overlooking the great white expanse of the Reach. Pinched gingerly between his gloved fingers was a brittle, sepia-toned photograph with crisp edges. The momento lost its glossy sheen over the years kept protectively in his pocket, over his beating heart. Marten's aged eyes scanned every detail of it, remembering sweet laced words exchanged with the love of his life that very day. His memory of his wife never once faded from his mind best described as a wooden box. Over the years, cracks appeared around its edges, forcing precious memories to spill into the unknown. All memories, even small ones, were precious.

"Twenty years." His voice broke the silence of the whispering wind. "You've left my side for twenty years. There was never a day I didn't think about you, Eliza."

A gentle breeze rolled across his shoulder as if to calm the man. Deep inside, he was conflicted, no, troubled by the sudden turn of events.

"But have the gods gone too far this time?" He asked no one.

Twenty years have passed since Eliza entered an eternal slumber on her deathbed to join the Mother Star. Marten was by her bedside, on his knees with hands cupped over hers drawing in her last breaths. He remembered she tried to speak, tried to tell him she'd be alright and they'd see each other tomorrow. That tomorrow never came. Marten prayed for the Mother Star for mercy and perhaps, for forgiveness for sins he didn't know he committed. He wanted Eliza to breathe, just a little longer. His wish was denied.

Then, this happened. What kind of trickery was this? His white brows knitted; how could someone suddenly come back from the dead? How could someone be vividly identical to her appearance? His heart refused to rest.

Marten shook his head. "I shouldn't jump to conclusions so swiftly,"

Tucking away the photograph, the Commander waded back into Seliana to the warmth of the Council Table. Perhaps focusing on work would do the trick, he mused. Upon arrival, it was unusual to spot a vacant Council Table. Odd. Where did they all go? The white-haired man turned his head, scanning Seliana, only to spot the Provisions Manager trudging through the snow with eyes glued on her clipboard. A small sound escaped his lips before he was interrupted by a bulky hunter entering the premises with thick snow boots.

The man saluted. "Sir, our guest has regained consciousness."

"Understood. I'm going to head over to speak with her." He spoke as his heart did somersaults in his chest. He needed to know. No, he had the right to know.

"That… might not be a wise idea, sir." The hunter responded with an odd look on his face. His eyes shifted away from the Commander's piercing gaze.

"Well, what is it? Speak up."

"The woman is feral." The hunter voiced. "She refuses to let anyone near her. The Chief's trying to calm her down."

"That gives me more reason to go and see her," Marten adjusted his winter coat and strolled past the man. "I'm going to go and see for myself. Maybe I can talk some sense into her."

* * *

The Commander looked over to his grandson before his gaze returned to the woman bundled in a white sheet pressed in the corner of the room. Guttural sounds bubbled from the depths of her stomach, tumbling through her chapped lips. One of the nurses tried to calm the woman down but just like a feral beast, she lashed out, slicing the woman's arm with her chipped nails. The nurse hastily retreated.

Wordless and confused, no one knew what to do or make of the situation. This was their first encounter with a feral human. The man took a moment to absorb the woman's features and frightening shrieks of terror. Her golden colored eyes moved from person to person and the shiny metal attached to some of their sides.

Marten was the first to break away from the group. He gently approached her with an extended hand. "We will not hurt you."

Her eyes thinned in terror as she tried to merge into the wooden wall.

"My name is Marten Blake," he introduced himself. "Commander of the Fifth Fleet."

She scratched his gloved hand, leaving a trail of disfigured cloth on his glove.

The Commander kept his calm composure. He gently inched closer. "Grandfather," Richard voiced from behind. "Be careful."

The white-haired man acknowledged and continued to inch forward, determined to communicate he wasn't a threat to the terrified woman. "We will not harm you." he reiterated. "I give you my word."

All eyes dropped onto the woman. She looked left and right, trying to plot her escape. Her heart slammed against her chest in rapid succession, her mind trying to think of a way to survive. She knew these things were here to kill her and strip her clean.

"I won't hurt you." His lips curved into an upward smile.

Just mere inches away from victory, a hunter stumbled into the room with a sharp object in his hand. Panic consumed her. She lashed out at the Commander, leaving a bloodied trail on his face. Marten cradled his face as hunters pounced and subdued the feral beast. Her screams filled the air. Screams no hunter had ever heard before. Richard skated to this grandfather and pulled out a white handkerchief to dab his face.

"I told you to be careful, grandfather," he said worriedly, watching as blood seeped onto the white handkerchief. "Did she get your eyes?"

Marten shook his head. "She missed it by an inch or two. Pressing the piece of cloth on his wounds, he watched while hunters dragged her away, perhaps to Seliana's makeshift holding cells.

"I'll have Lucia take care of you, alright?" The Chief gently coaxed the man to stand up. "You know how she is if injuries aren't reported."

The Commander smiled at his grandson. "Very true," he weakly laughed. "Ow."

Richard watched as the hunters escorted her out of sight. He turned to a female hunter. "Do make sure the woman has adequate clothes to wear." He instructed. "Make sure her cell is warm and there are food and water for her."

"Yes, sir!"

The bouncy girl dashed away.

"Do we have to go to the head nurse?" Marten asked his grandson.

"Of course." Richard smiled. "You know what happens if the injured don't report to her."

"Ah yes, her hour-long lecture. That's something I never wish to experience again."

The two shared a quiet laugh as Richard escorted his grandfather to the infirmary.

* * *

Lucia was not impressed by the lacerations decorated onto his face. The man winced as a soaking roll of cotton smeared across it. The stocky nurse remained silent throughout the entire ordeal. Voices from the infirmary echoed outside while nurses talked with each other about today's shifts or the injured list. Marten shifted his weight.

"I was careful." he started.

"Of course you were, Commander." Lucia discarded the cotton ball and picked up two bandaids. Peeling them off, she stuck them onto his face.

"You don't sound convinced."

"I'm not," she responded hotly. "What if she scratched your eyes? Then what? We don't have the necessary supplies to operate. You, of all people, should know that."

A small smile formed on his lips. "I'm well aware of it," he responded. "But she didn't get my eyes."

The nurse rolled her eyes and stepped back, giving the Commander legroom. She crossed her arms. Here it comes.

_One hour later._

Marten exited the infirmary stunned and somewhat numb from Lucia's infamous lecture. He kept up with her for the first twenty minutes before his mind went blank. All he could remember was… absolutely nothing. He tapped his noggin for a couple of moments, trying to scramble his memories.

_Ah, pesky buggers._

The Commander expelled a tired sigh. The day had barely begun and he was exhausted to the core. He felt a pinch of pain throbbing from the base of his skull, signaling an upcoming tension headache. Quickly pinching the area between his eyes, the man hastily made his way to the makeshift cells. Maybe if he could talk to the woman one-on-one he might get the answers he desperately needed.

_I have to find out one way or another._ He mused, walking through Seliana. _It's worth a shot. This could be a breakthrough or a dead end. One way or another, I'll get answers._

With one final huff, the man was on the hunt for information about why this feral human looked identical to his deceased wife.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **It's an update! I've been reading some more books to enhance my writing and word usage (like it makes any difference now). There's not much I'd like to say other than apologies for a short chapter; I can only dream of so much content before I wake up. If you enjoyed this installment, don't hesitate to let me know. Of course, if you see anything funky, let me know so I can fix it! Being my own editor isn't as good as you'd think. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

**Summary:** A wish upon the Mother Star was all it took to flip Velkhana's world upside down. She had exactly one year to learn about the hunters. One year to realize her purpose and question everything as she came to know it.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

_People might call you crazy for stepping into the unknown but what they don't know is the darkness might be worth it._

— _Unknown Hunter's notes_

_Three months later._

The woman sat at the round table with a large frown stitched across her face, beaming at the book in front of her. On it sprawled words she learned over the past three months with the hunters. She remained wary of their warm smiles and outpouring support each time they interacted with her. For some reason, she felt they would turn on her in a moment's notice, a blade pressed to her exposed neck. The air filled with loud sounds, shouting, and weapons sharpened to deadly perfection. The woman would concoct multiple scenarios of these two-legged creatures pinning her down before hogtying her to then do god-knows-what. She hated it.

Yet, it never happened. These two-legged creatures cloaked in beast hide, cotton, and tough linen brought her food, water, and clothing upon the rise of a new morning. And like each morning, she'd hiss and growl at them from the corner she turned into a safe spot. Anyone who got too close would be warned. Her mind couldn't understand why they didn't let her go; she had nothing to offer but aggression.

Everyday at the fall of night, she would sit by the window with eyes traveling across the dark blue yonder, absorbing its serene magnificence. The gorgeous cerulean-tinted skies and its dotted stars were something that evoked a feeling of bliss and relaxation inside her, with exception of the Mother Star. The pesky star hung westward every night twinkling from the heavens, mocking her form cocooned in human flesh. Thoughts processed through her mind but her mouth was unable to verbalize them until very, _very_ recently.

"...My… my name is… C-Cathy." The woman pronounced the words in the book. "Cathy… likes to… eat… fruits… and v-ve-get-tables."

"Bravo!" The pencil-shaped teacher named Grenda clapped in victory at her reading attempt. "You've done well!"

The woman remained indifferent with eyes hopscotching across the page, formulating sounds and words in her mind. She had no idea her voice was capable of such things. The more you know, she thought.

"Now, try reading some more."

Golden eyes traced the next sentence. "Cathy… has a home… in As-As-Astera." She pronounced with difficulty.

"You're doing great."

She pursed her lips and continued, "Astera… is h-home to… m-many Hunters and a… P-Poo-gie."

The woman stopped when her ears picked up the sound of heavy footsteps echoing from the outside of the classroom. Her heart madly beat in her heart. Was it her time to die? She tightly gripped onto the page, deforming the edge in fear. The wooden door swung open with the Commander holding a basket packed with ripe, colorful fruits. In one fluid motion, Marten placed the basket on the table and greeted Grenda and her with a warm, welcoming smile.

"How's our student today?"

"Excellent!" The teacher praised. "She managed to read a couple more sentences today. Her pronunciation is a little off but I'd dare say she improved leaps and bounds."

"That's great to hear," he nodded. "Has she told you her name?"

The middle-aged woman shook her head. "No. I'm starting to think she doesn't have a name. I suggest we offer her a name of her choosing. What do you say, Commander?"

The voiceless woman silently observed the two humans converse; she had no idea what was spoken between them. The one with the silver hair laughed and smiled while the other one with thick green framed glasses clapped in delight. A small anxiety bubble brewed in the pits of her stomach, forcing her heart to beat harder, faster. The woman drew in a ball of fresh air to calm her tingling nerves.

Marten took a seat beside her, startling the poor woman. A small yelp escaped her lips. He picked up a pencil and wrote out several words onto the paper.

"I've written several names down." He spoke. "A name is a title you keep with you until you journey to the Sapphire Star. Go ahead and pick whatever name you'd like and we'll call you by it."

The frontal region of her mind slightly throbbed, signaling the advent of a headache. She reached out, tracing each word with the tip of her fingernail. Slowly, she recited each name in her mind, attaching it to the sounds she learned. The woman was clueless at best.

"Eli… za." Her finger rested on the name. "Eliza."

Grenda watched as Marten's face momentarily went blank. He remained wordless until a small smile rippled across his lips.

"That's a lovely name. We'll call you by that name from now on. Sounds good?"

She nodded, an action she learned from Grenda confirming her choice. Shifting in her seat, the new Eliza diverted her gaze back into the book.

"Commander, a word, please?" Grenda tapped his shoulder and headed outside.

Grenda waited outside with arms firmly crossed on her flat chest. When Marten gently closed the door behind him, her face immediately expressed concern.

"Pardon me if I'm overstepping my bounds but isn't that the name of your late wife?"

"It is."

"Do you think it was wise to suggest that name to her? I don't think it's good for your health, sir."

Marten pushed out a forced smile, approaching the wooden railing. Curling his gloved hands on it, he started, "You don't need to worry about me," he voiced. "I've accepted my late wife's passing many years ago. The name just came as I wrote it."

Grenda watched a breeze roll through Astera, giving life to the Commander's heavy winter clothes. "I don't think it was a wise idea, sir."

"I know." He answered without looking back.

"But I guess the decision has been made, isn't it?"

"It has."

Grenda shrugged and retreated back into the warmth of the classroom. Everyone knew how much Marten loved his late wife, a woman who journeyed to the Sapphire Star far too early.

_Blasted cancer._ She cursed internally and shook her head. _Why must it be cancer of all things? _

The slender woman returned to her wooden seat. Eliza glanced up from the page, gently tilting her head to read the teacher's expression. She could tell the woman was deeply troubled by something. Well, whatever it was, it was not her concern; she was momentarily occupied at overcoming her current reading obstacle. Her eyes targeted the picture, accompanied with printed words. It was a hand painted picture of a Fulgur Anjanath, a meaty, titanic-sized monstrosity which roamed the Reach in search of its next meal, dead or alive. The reptile's patterned skin, leathery wings, and a decibel-breaking roar made it a fearsome monster in the Reach. Hunters that crossed it were usually pummeled into the ground or worse, zapped into tiny little crispy pieces.

Velkhana once crossed paths with this reptilian menace when she felled a wounded Banbaro close to her den. As big as the beast was, it preferred to scavenge when an opportunity presented itself. Velkhana stood proudly in front of her meal with outstretched wings and feet dug firmly into the ice. With an arched back, she made herself intimidating with her tail pointing the sharp end at the fiend. Two vicious beasts exchanged roars, each trying to outdo the other. A symphony of screams reigned in the Reach that day. Velkhana stood her ground as the power of ice bubbled in the pits of her stomach, ready to ice the fool.

Her golden eyes traced every inch of the beast, thinking of what to bite into first. The tail? The right leg? The paper-thin wing membrane on its back? Or its meaty neck?

_Stupid._

Eliza blinked, snapping out of her stupor. What was that? Did her thought do that? A wave of confusion washed through her while she attempted to better understand what her mind just did. It was an unusual feeling, to be able to think about something other than hunting, eating, mating, attacking, defending, and sleeping. Whatever this new _thing_ was, she wanted none of it.

All she ever wanted was to return back to roaming the Reach in her original form, encased in crystalline ice. She thought about her spacious den, decorated with sharp, behemoth crystal pillars and a flattened nest she would rest and snuggle into every night. The image of home made her feel… sad.

"Eliza, would you like to go on a stroll with me?"

The sudden words from the side made her jump. Fierce eyes darted to the side, meeting Marten's soft gaze.

"You still don't know your way around Seliana and I thought I could give you a tour of it." he spoke. "Besides, I could use the exercise!"

The man burst out laughing while she continued to frown. Unsure of what to do or react, the woman with a new name simply nodded.

"Excellent. I'll be waiting outside."

Marten peeled away, heading off to the heavy door, and waited. In one fluid motion, she got up and pushed the chair back into its original position. Picking up the fur lined winter coat, she slipped into it then securing its metallic buckles. Perhaps the worst thing out of this experience was realizing how badly the coat smelled. She could even _smell _the person who wore this before her. It reeked.

Grenda silently observed Eliza head over to Marten with a nod. The man opened the door and within seconds, both disappeared from sight. Grenda could only hope the Commander knew what he was doing before things snowballed out of control. The last thing she, or anyone in the fleet wanted to see was Marten suffering a second heartbreak.

Closing the book she read, soft words escaped the woman's thin lips, "I hope you get your closure, Commander. We pray to the Mother Star and the Sapphire Star that you do."


End file.
